This blog is a forum for Mentor High School Honors English 12 students to engage in book discussions based on free reading books.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Four best friends since birth were going to be apart for the summer their first time ever.Right before they go their separate ways, they find a pair of pants that strangely fits all of them. They decide to share them and send them to each other throughout their time away. Carmen's going to South Carolina to visit her dad, Bridget is off to soccer camp, Lena's off to Greece to visit her family, and Tibby is staying home and working. Over their vacation, they each encounter a few of their own problems. Carmen goes to her dad's to catch up after he left her and her mother, but is surprised to find that he is engaged again. When Bridget is at camp, she falls in love with her soccer coach. At first, he hesitates to follow her lead, but he soon changes his mind and gives in.When Bridget realizes that it won't work out, all she wants is to talk to her mother who had passed away a few years ago. While in Greece, Lena falls in love with a Kostos.She soon finds out that she is forbidden to talk to him because of a family feud. While Tibby is working a Wallman's, she meets a young girl named Bailey.At first she is annoyed that Bailey is always around, but once she finds out that she has leukemia, she feels much differently. Tibby grows very attached to her and gets a new perspective on life. Although each of these girls have many problems while away from each other, the pants help them realize that they are all there for each other.

1.) Why does it take some people a near death experience or the loss of a loved one to live the way they should?

2.) Carmen's dad doesn't tell her that he is engaged to a women with two kids her age, so she thinks when she visits it is going to just be her and him. Should he have told her about his fiancé even if it meant she would decide not to go? What would you do if you were in her place?

3.) Even though Lena is told not to talk to Kostas because of the family feud, she continues to see him anyways. What would you do if you were in her place? Where do you draw the line between following your heart and your family?

18 comments:

1) I think people do not truly appreciate what they have until they lose, or almost lose, something that is close to them. The value of anything in a person's life tends to increase when their time to appreciate and enjoy that object of interest shortens.

2) I think it was unfair of Carmen's father to not tell her about his fiancee and his two children. To me that seems immature and pointless because Carmen would eventually have to meet the new members of her family.

3) I believe that I would have continued to talk to Kostas like Lena because her family members did not have a true reason for not liking him other than a long time dispute that had lost its true meaning anyways. If my parents had a genuine concern and a legitimate reason why I should not date someone, then maybe i would listen.

1.) I agree, sometimes to see how much life is worth takes seeing how easily it can be taken away.2.) I think her father had good intentions not telling her because he wanted to be sure that she would visit, but I think it was wrong of him to keep it a secret too.3.) I would do the same. As long as it isn't hurting anyone, I don't think an argument between older relatives should keep the younger generations from being nice to each other. They really don't have anything to do with the feud in the first place.

1) I aagree with both of you. Many people in life do not step back and look at what they really have. Many people do not realize the important things in their lives such as family members. Once something is gone from your life, you are able to actually see and feel that it is gone. When it is there; however, you just see it as another thing in your life.2)He should have told her about his fiance. If i was in her place, i would still go because your dad should still mean just as much to you and he did before he was engaged. I would be upset with him for not telling me, but I would still go.3) I would still see him too. You must draw the line once the lives of your family or friends become in danger.

to answer question 1, i believe that the traumatic experience, such as losing a loved one, makes people live the way they should because it makes them realize how short and uncertain life can be. Anything unexpected could happen at any time or moment, so life should not be taken for granted, although many times it is. And some people won't really realize this until something close and personal happens to them or someone close to them.

1.) When you have something, you don't really realize what you have. A near death experience shows you what you're taking for granted and teaches you that life is precious. You should live like every day should be your last, because one day it will be.

2.) Yes, he father definitely should have told her about her new family. In a family there should be no secrets. If i were her, I would be very mad once i found out the truth. I would be mad my dad kept very impotant information and details from me.

3.) I would still continue to talk to Kostas despite the family feud, if i really liked him. I feel like my family would have to get over the feud and that i should be able to talk to anyone i wanted to.

1. I completely agree with Deanna. Most people are too busy thinking of what they don't have to see all that's in front of them. Everyone is wrapped up in their own little world most of the time(atleast in our society). Once it disappears, they realize their mistake.

2. He probably should have said something. That's kind of a nasty surprise. I'm not sure how mad I would be or what I would do, but i guess that would depend on whether or not I liked his new family.

3. Thankfully, in my case, my family approves of me doing whatever I think is right. If I were in her place, I would go by what feels right to me; my family would either get over it, or they wouldn't. I would still do what's right for me.

1)Sometimes people do not appreciate life until they experience something profound or drastic. It is easy to live life day by day and not see what a gift you have until something happens that changes your norm or life. I think that everyone must go through something significant in their life to help them see how precious and fragile life is.3) If I were in Lena's place, I would take the risk of talking to Kostas. Family should always come first but they cannot tell you who your heart wants. Unless Kostas did something truly terrible, I think Lena should be able to go for it and her family should learn to accept that.

1. I think dramatic situations do take people to really realize what they have in life. A lot of times people dont realize what they have until its gone, and then thats when they really start to think about things. I believe everyone should appreciate what you have, because you never know when its too late.

1. I think that people are always so busy with their life that they don't realize what they have until something happens to make them stop and appreciate life. We should learn to appreciate the people and things we have, before they're gone and we regret it.2. I think that her dad should have told her because either way, his new fiance will impact her life so it would be better to hear it from him, than to have it presented to her as a surprise. If I were in Carmen's place I would be furious. 3. I think I would choose to do the same thing. Even though their families don't get along, they should allow them to date because Lena has the right to live her own life and make her own decisions.

To answer number 3, I would also continue to see him. It really isnt fair that a stupid family feud should get in the way of a relationship, since it doesnt have anything to do with her. I wouldnt be able to stop seeing him, just because of a foolish disagreement.

1. I think that people do not truely appreciate life until they have those kind of experiences because many people take life for granted and do not realize that in a second your life or a loved one's life could be over.3. I would continue to talk to him because if I loved someone i would not be able to stay apart from him just because my family dissapproved of his family

1. In the world we live in today, everyone takes everything for granted, especially their own life. Many people just go through the motions in their life, repeating the same thing and not stepping out of their comfort zone because they assume they will have time to do that later in life, when they feel their ready. What they don't understand is that just because most people die at an old age does not mean everyone dies old. This is why near death experiences or losing a loved one have such an impact - people are forced to see that they are not immortal and that bad things can and do happen to people at young ages. Thus, (for most people) this forces them to finally step out of their little bubble of a world where no one gets hurt and into the life they should be living.

3) Your family always looks out for what is best for you. Sometimes, they do not always know what is best for you though. I believe that there comes a point in your life when you have to start being independent and making your own decisions. When you are growing up, you listen to everything that your parents say, and most of your beliefs are shaped by your parents beliefs. It is important to be your own person though. Kotas never did anything to Lena's family, and it is not their fault that their families are feuding. If they really love each other, they should be allowed to be together.

2) I think that he absolutely should have told her about him being engaged. It is one thing to be blindsided by him telling her out of the blue that he is engaged. It is another thing entirely to blindside her by bringing her to the house with an entire new family. If I was in her place, I probably would have acted similarly to how Carmen acted, being very distant until I got to know them a little better.

1. In life many people take for granted the things we see everyday such as our parents or our pets. these types of things are so commonplace for us that we do not remember or know a life without them, therefore we cannot see how horrible it would be to lose something we live until we are actually faced witht that possibility.

2.He should have told her because in keeping it a secret she now feels like the odd one out of the family and will robably be alienated from is new life. This remarriage would be difficult on her but at least if he told her she would have felt included.

3. I would follow my heart because the arguments of my family members have nothing to do with me. I dont like the concept of blind loyalty and I believe your actions should reflect your own thoughts and morals.

As the Counting Crows once said, "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got till its gone?" These are only lyrics, however, they hold the upmost truth of human beings. Humans are a stubborn species. They will not truly appreciate life until it is taken away from them. Its the same with whatever a person is given; a lover, friend, some expensive item/gift. Americans especially are selfish people, and are never satisfied with what they have. But once you take it away, kill the girlfriend, or break their $400 iPod, they come to tears and the biggest reality check they've ever had comes crashing down on them.